Dear People of Ascension,

This Sunday is the last of the Epiphany season, and every year on this day our gospel tells the story of Jesus' transfiguration. It's a weird, beautiful and important story. For me, it suggests that at the heart of all things there is the radiant light of love. We do not always perceive or trust it, but when we do it changes the face of (transfigures) even the most difficult seasons of our lives.

The Sundays of Epiphany begin and end with a voice, speaking directly to Jesus but also to us: you are my Beloved. It happens that this year the last Sunday of Epiphany also falls on Valentine's Day. What and who do you truly love? How has love changed you? Broken you open? healed you? What are the deepest desires of your heart? When have you known yourself chosen, called and claimed as Beloved?

As we turn from the mountain of transfiguration to the transforming journey of Lent, may these questions guide us. May love find us, allure us, and lead us on.

Blessings,

Liz

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Christ upon the mountain peak

stands alone in glory blazing;

let us, if we dare to speak,

with the saints and angels praise him.

Alleluia!

Trembling at his feet we saw

Moses and Elijah speaking.

All the prophets and the Law

shout through them their joyful greeting.

Alleluia!

Swift the cloud of glory came.

God proclaiming in its thunder

Jesus as his Son by name!

Nations cry aloud in wonder!

Alleluia!

This is God’s belovèd Son!

Law and prophets fade before him;

first and last and only One,

let creation now adore him!

Alleluia!

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Psalm 50:1-6  (St. Helena Psalter)

The God of gods has spoken; *

   God has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *

   God is revealed in glory.

You, God, will come and will not keep silence; *

   before you there is a consuming flame,

   and round about you a raging storm.

You call the heavens and the earth from above *

   to witness the judgment of your people.

“Gather before me my loyal followers, *

   those who have made a covenant with me

   and sealed it with sacrifice.”

Let the heavens declare the rightness of your cause, *

   for you alone are judge.

Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

The Rev. Meredith Ward

O for a closer walk with God,

A calm and heavenly frame;

A light to shine upon the road

That leads me to the lamb!

Return, O holy dove, return,

Sweet messenger of rest;

I hate the sins that made thee mourn,

And drove thee from my breast.

So shall my walk be close with God,

Calm and serene my frame;

So purer light shall mark the road

That leads me to the lamb.

Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. We pray for Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Andrew, Allen and Mary our own Bishops.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace, especially Joe our President and the members of congress; that we may honor one another and serve the common good. We pray for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ethiopia, Yemen, Uganda, Haiti, and the Uygur people; for all laboring to end racism and white supremacy and establish racial justice in our country.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. We pray for all affected by COVID-19: for the frightened and the sick, for the dying and those who mourn; for all who have lost jobs and livelihood as a result of this pandemic; for all healthcare workers, especially Scarlett, Madonna, Trudie, Nancy, Anna, Sarah, Endine, Terese, and AJ, for all whose labor supports our common life; for those developing and distributing vaccines, for those charged with making decisions about public health and public policy

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Marco, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Jonathan and family, Deacon Luis, Erika, and Tom, give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader We commend to your mercy all who have died, especially Stacy Title, Tina Keker, David Lougee, Elizabeth Allen, and the more than 470,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19, as well as others around the world that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

 Our Father, who art in heaven,

     hallowed be thy Name,

     thy kingdom come,

     thy will be done,

          on earth as it is in heaven.

 Give us this day our daily bread.

 And forgive us our trespasses,

     as we forgive those

          who trespass against us.

 And lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

 For thine is the kingdom,

     and the power, and the glory,

     for ever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia, song of gladness,

voice of joy that cannot die;

alleluia is the anthem

ever raised by choirs on high;

in the house of God abiding

thus they sing eternally.

Alleluia thou resoundest,

true Jerusalem and free;

alleluia, joyful mother,

all thy children sing with thee;

but by Babylon’s sad waters

mourning exiles now are we.

Alleluia though we cherish

and would chant for evermore

alleluia in our singing,

let us for a while give o’er,

as our Savior in his fasting

pleasures of the world forbore.

Therefore in our hymns we pray thee,

grant us, blessèd Trinity,

at the last to keep thine Easter

with thy faithful saints on high;

there to thee for ever singing

alleluia joyfully.

Ascension Forum This Sunday, February 14- What Shall We Do For Lent?, a Community Conversation- Please join us after the 11 am service to talk about the traditional disciplines of Lent (prayer, fasting and alms-giving) as well as some not so traditional ways to revision how to keep this season in a fruitful and holy way.

Shrove Tuesday Zoom Bingo! Join us for a traditional evening of fun starting at 6:30pm on February 16th. If you wish to participate, please contact Fr. Ed by email so we can send you a bingo card. While we’ll do our best to accommodate registration “at the door”, it’ll be really helpful for us to receive your information even a few hours in advance! Thank you! BYOP (Bring your own pancakes!) There will be exciting prizes, and we will end with Compline!

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/97555913981

Dial in only: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 975 5591 3981

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/98859847802

Dial in only: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 988 5984 7802

Sunday Forums in Lent - Justice, Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Sundays from February 21 through March 21, following the 11:00 service.

Lenten Quiet Day - Saturday, March 6, 10:00 a.m. A Lenten quiet day focusing on Barbara Cawthorne Crafton’s retreat series on "Forgiveness: What It Is and What It Isn’t." Join us for a quiet day on Saturday March 6 as we dive into Barbara Crafton’s popular series. During this fractious time in our country’s history, calls for unity and reconciliation abound. But how do we safely enter into dialogue with those with whom we disagree? Renewing our understanding of the Biblical witness to forgiveness (what it IS and what it IS NOT) can help us navigate the difficult journey ahead. We will have time for discussion as well as quiet reflection and meditation.

Join Zoom Meeting: zoom.us/j/94087315630

Dialin: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 940 8731 5630

Lenten Community Suppers - Join us for Lenten Zoom Gatherings for Food, Prayer and Conversation this Lent. There will be 5 gatherings (see below). Participation is limited to 10 participants for each gathering. Out of consideration of others, please only register for one gathering. Registration details will be available next week in time for the Ash Wednesday eBulletin, so watch this space!

Wednesday, February 24

Monday, March 1

Tuesday, March 9

Thursday, March 18

Wednesday, March 24

Lenten Devotional Books Are Here! The devotional is made up of 40 personal reflections from members of the parish and clergy at Ascension. The booklet is available online and in hardcopy (limited supply). To download the PDF of the Lenten Devotional, go to ascensionnyc.org/lent-devotions and follow the instruction to download or read online. The daily meditations from the booklet will also be available on our Facebook page starting Ash Wednesday. To request a hard copy (suggested donation $5), please email the Parish Office at info@ascensensionnyc.org. If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Adams. Thank you to all our writers for their work to make the devotional a reality.

Please check us out at ascensionnyc.org/give to find out how easy and secure it is. Click the envelope on the right to go the Ascension Website for more information and to give, whether a one-time donation, pledge payment, or make a new pledge.

(If you experience any issues with Abundant Giving, please email us at websexton@ascensionnyc.org)

Wardens: Maurice Seaton (Class of 2022), Isabel Spencer (Class of 2023)

Barbara Burns

Janet Fisher

Rusty Moore

Madonna Stack-Barker

Kyle Church Cheseborugh

Peter Clark

Tom Rice

Jill Tildesley

Vin Knight

Gale Lynch

Rachel Sedor

John Thompson

Join us each weeknight at 5:30 for Evening Prayer & discussion. Click this link to join: ascensionnyc.org/eveningprayer. To call in (voice, no camera), dial 929-205-6099; the meeting ID is 770 597 201.

For Your Daily Prayers - "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) During this time of global crisis and personal anxiety, we offer you this prayer form to include in your daily prayers.

Sunday Paper Junior - The lectionary, our yearly schedule of Bible readings, carries us through Jesus’s life and teachings. The Church of The Ascension subscribes to the Sunday Paper Junior and we offer it to you and your family as a fun, creative way to study the lessons each week. Click here to access this week's paper. Please feel free to print out the pages each week and use as you desire. Check out this section each week for the current Sunday Paper Junior!

Visit the Diocese Facebook page to view the livestream.

Officiant: The Rt. Rev. Andrew M. L. Dietsche, Bishop of New York

Sermon: The Hon. Byron Rushing, Vice President of the House of Deputies

Click here tor more information

Vaccine Registration Assistance? Do you need help scheduling your vaccine appointment? Are you a tech-savvy and patient person who would like to help register people? Please contact Fr. Ed at fatherchinery@ascensionnyc.org for more information.

Dennis Keene to Give Lecture Presentation about Durufle - On Thursday, February 18 at 7pm Dennis Keene will be featured in a live Zoom event with stories, pictures, music and more. Hear Dennis talk about the music for which he is best known: Duruflé’s beloved Requiem. Hear him reminisce about his studies in 1977 with the composer’s wife, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, in the Duruflés’ Parisian apartment (with Monsieur Duruflé listening from the kitchen!) Click here for more information.

Space Use at Ascension - While the church is closed and not in general use, occasionally someone in the church will want to use one of our spaces. (Please note, that such uses are strongly discouraged.) During the pandemic we must be extra careful to coordinate these things so there is no overlap, and to schedule plenty of time for cleaning. If you think you might need the space for something, please coordinate via the church office - contact Br. Andrew at info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620.

Open Church, Tuesdays & Fridays, Noon to 3. The church is open for private prayer and meditation. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 20 people at one time and all safety precautions (properly worn masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizing, and contact tracing) will be followed.

In-Person Midweek Eucharists Remain Suspended. In light of the rising infection rates in New York City, we continue to suspend our Wednesday evening in person Eucharists.We will revisit the question early in the new year.

Beware of Fraudulent Emails Purporting to be from the Ascension clergy! Several people received scam emails today pretending to be from Fr. Ed, using a Gmail account under a user name that appears to be him. Click here to read more and learn what you can do.

Organ Prelude (Zoom)

Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.

Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

Presidents' Day. Parish Office Closed.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

(Speak to Sibyl Piccone if you are interested in this group)

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Shrove Tuesday Bingo! (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.

Ash Wednesday Service (Zoom) 6:00 p.m.

Finance Committee (Zoom) 1:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Food Pantry (12 West 11th St.) 8:30 a.m.

(if you are in need or would like to volunteer, please contact Fr. Ed.)

Rehearsal for Sunday Service (Zoom) 2:00 p.m.

Organ Prelude (Zoom)

Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.

Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

The Church of the Ascension -- Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street

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